;' & fc 5 



THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN, 

A DRAMA IN ONE ACT. 

By Dr. Albert Carr- 



THE LITTLE CHRISTM. 

A DRAMA IN ONE ACT. 

I 

By Dr. Albert Carr. 



Ms. Copyright by the author, 
July 3, 1911. 



Copyright, 1911 by Albert Carr. 
All rights reserved. 



CAUTION. The presentation of this drama for 
profit without the permission of it's proprietor 
i§.. strictly forbidden. Managers desiring to 
produce this drama are respectfully requeeted 
to Communicate with the author. 



HILL (;ITy S. D. 
1911 



CAST OF CHARACTERS. 

EGGSHEL1.S. 

A tramp. Pornaerly, the Rev. 
James WardweU. 

TESSIE JORDAN. 

The little Christian. 
AMELIA JORDAN. 

Her aunty. 



SCEN E. In the sitting-room of the 
Jordan home. 



PEANUTS. 

The Bulldog. 

Duration of drama, forty miouts. 



©aD 25220 



THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 

ACT I. 

SCENE. Sitting-room in the 
Jordan home. Door in left of rear 
scene. Large open windoiv looking 
out on landscape, right of this door. 
Curtained door leading into hall, in 
extreme right of rear scene. Table 
and chiffonier, R. 

Discovered : Amelia Jordan 
seated at table, R. , sewing. 
Tessie Jordan seated in little 
rocking-chair, LC, Near her, 
toy cradle with doll-baby in it; 
black Topsy-doll in toy chair^ 
and Teddy-bear on floor. 

Tessie. Topey, if >ou don't behave, 
I'll lav you down on the floor, and put 
Teddy in the chair. (Bends over cradle.) 
Oh, you sweet dear! come to your little 
mama. {Takes doll-baby out <f cradle. 
It hat long baby dress. Makes baby 
cry.) There, there, don't cry! {Futit 



4. THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 

baby back in cradle, and rocks it, sing 
iag, Byby Shakes finger nt Topsy.) 
Topsy, now >ou behave, and BU<p 
makiog faces at Teddy. {To Ainelin.) 
Say, aunty, did you like dollies when 
you were a little tfirl? 

A.melia. Yes, Tessie. 

Tessie. Did you have a leddy-bear? 

Amelia. No, dear. There were do 
Teddy-bears when I was a little girl. 

Tessie. {Taking up Teddy-bear.) 
Poor Teddy! you've been lying on the 
floor all the time. Aunty, mama bought 
Teddy for me, just a little while before 
she died [Wipes eyes.) Poor mama! 
She is in heaven with the good angels, 
ain't she, aunty? 

Amelia. Yee, dear. 

Tessie. When mama died, paj)a aaid, 
h» would never get me another mama. 

Amelia. 1 do not think your father, 
my brother, will ever marry again. He 
loved your mother too much. 

Tessie. When mama died, papa cried, 
and cried, and cried. Then he sent for 
yoa, and you came and took care of us. 
{Rising, and dropping Teddy in chair.) 
It was real good of yon, aunty. 

Amelia. Are you glad, aunty came to 
live with vou, di»ur? 



m 



THE l^ITTLE CHRISTIAN. 5 

Tessie. {Crossiyig to Amelia.) Yes, oh' 
yes! Papa is too. He says, you are the 
dearest sister in the world. 

Amelia. When your papa and I were 
little children together, we were always 
very fond of each other. 

Tessie. Did papa play with dolls? 

Amelia. No; he had a hobby-horse; a 
box of blocks, and a little hammer. 

Tessie. Which did he like best? 

Amelia, The little hammer. 

Tessie. Did he drive nails with it? 

Amelia. Yes, dear. He struck his 
finger with it, one day. 

Tessie. Did he cry? 

Amelia. Yes, he cried so loud, your 
grandma took the little hammer away 
from him and put it on the shelf. 

Tessie. What did papa do then? 

Amelia. He told your grandma, he 
would stop crying, if she would give 
him back his hammer. 

Tessie. Did grandma give it back to 
him? 

Amelia. Yes, dear. 

Tessie. Were you sorry, when papa 
went away and married mama? 

Amelia. Oh, no! Your mama was 
my dearest friend. 

Tessie. Did you ever get married, 



i; THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 

aunty? 

Amelia. No, TeBsie. 

Tessie. But you might. And then, 
you would go away, and leave papa and 
me, all alone. 

Amelia. No, Tessie, aunty will never 
get married — no, never. 

Tessie. Did you ever love a nice 
man, like poor mama Jo^^ed papa? 

Amelia. (After a tnomenfs hesitancy.) 
Yes, child, I did, 

Tessie. Did he die? 

Amelia, Not that I know. 

Teseie. Did he go away? 

Amelia. Yes, he went away. 

Teseie. Do you know where ho went? 

Amelia. No, dear, I have never eoen, 
nor heard of him since he left. 

Tessie. Why did he go away, and 
leave you all alone? 

Amelia. Because your grandpa struck 
him with his cane, and drove him from 
the house. 

Tessie. Why did grandpa do that? 

Amelia. Because he wanted me to 
marry a rich banker. 

Tessie. Wasn't the nice young man 
you loved, rich? 

Amelia. No. He was a poor young 
minister. 



T H E LITTLE HRIS'i IAN. 7 

Tesgie. Was grandpa a bad man? 

Amelia. No, Tessie, but he was proud 
and high-tempered. He was an Eng- 
lishman. 

Tessie. Didn't grandpa like minis- 
ters? 

Amelia. No, dear, no. He said, they 
were lazy, idle, fellows. 

Tessie. Did grandpa go to heaven 
when he died? {Amelia does not 
arifiwer. Quite a long pause.) Did he go 
to the bad place? 

[Another pause, then — 

Amelia. I don't know, dear! 

Tessie. What if the poor young 
minister should come back? Would 
you marry him, aunty, and go away? 

Amelia. He will never come back. 
It 18 ten years since he went away. He 
left the parsonage two weeks after your 
grandfather struck him, ana no one has 
ever heard of him since. It was a 
strange disappearance {Rising, and 
placing sewing on table.) I am going 
over to Mrs. Morton's for awhile. Do 
you want to come, or stay and play with 
your dolls? 

Tessie. I'll stay, aunty. I must mend 
Topsy's dresB, 

Amelia. You will be all alone in the 



8 THE L.ITTLE CHKISTIAN. 

house. Katy ,and cook have gone dowo 
towD. Will you be afraid, dear? 
Tessie. No, not if you leave, Peanuts, 
Amelia. I shall make him stay. Juet 
the eight of a bulldog is enough for a 
tramp. Peanuts will keep them away. 
I'll not be gone long. Go get aunty's 
shawl. 
Tessie. Yes, aunty. 

[Exit at door, R.R. Amelia hurries 

to chiffonier. Opens drawer, and 

draws out locket attached to gold 

chain. Opens locket and gazea into 

it. 

Amelia. Ah! here is his dear face. 

Oh, will he ever come back to me I 

James, James! {Kisses locket) The 

noble, gentle, pious, James Wardwell. 

Ah, if I could only know whether you 

are dead or a!ive. 

[Hurriedly puts locket in chiffonier 
and closes drawer. 

Enter Tessie at door, R.R. with 
shawl. 

Tessie. Here is your shawl, aunty. 
Amelia. (Putting on shawl and 
going.) Thank you, dear! 
Tessie. Kiss me, aunty. 
Amelia. Why, dearie, aunty almost 



THE LITTLE CHRISTIAX. 9 

forjfot. {Kisfies Tessie.) If you want a 
cooky, they are io the jar in the lower 
part of the cupboard, {Going, then 
turning.) If you are afraid, you better 
come. 

Tessie. No, aunty. No one wilJ bother 
me, while Peanuts is around. 
Amelia. Very well, dear. 

[Exit at door, L.R. 
TesBie. {At window, waving hand.) 
Good -by, aunty! 

Amelia. {Outside.) Good-by, dear! I'll 
not be gone long. {Dog barks, outside.) 
Go back. Peanuts! Do you hear! 

[Tessie returns to dolls, 
Tessie. Baby is sound asleep. Teddy 
looks sleepy, too. I'll put him in the 
cradle with baby. {Puts Teddy in cradle 
with baby.) Baby loves Teddy. But 
Topsy don't like Teddy. Teddy don't 
like Topsy. I know he'd bite her, if he 
could get hie mouth open. Now, Topsy, 
let me see your dress. You wear out, 
clothes, so fast! {Takes off Topsy's dress, 
and lays her down on chair.) There, 
now, you stay there, and be ashamed 
of yourself, until I get your dress 
fixed. {Cro.sses to table, R. Gets up 
on chair and sits. Takes needle from 
cuahion on table, and sews Topsy' s 



10 THE IiITTIiE CHRISTIAN. 

dress.) Peanuts and I went down town 
one day, and we met a tramp. Peanuts 
jumped up and bit him in the pants. 
The tramp hollored iawful. The marshal 
had to come and choke Peanuts to get 
him off. Peanuts is a bulldotj, and 
bulldogs don't like tramps. 

[Load growling and barking out- 
side. 

Eggshells, the tramp, springs up 
into open window, and tumbles into 
room. 

Eggshells. {Sitting up on floor.) That 
bulldog's the worst, I ever saw. 

Tessie. {Jumping down from chair, 
and facing trafnp.) Are you a tramp? 

Eggshells. Well, I'm not the census- 
taker. 

Teesie. Did Peanuts get you? 

Eggshells. Who's Peanuts? 

Tessie. Our bulldog. 

Eggshells. No, he didn't get me. 
But it wasn't his fault. Why do you 
call him, Peanuts? 

Tessie. Because he likes peanuts. 
He can eat ten cents worth, all at once. 
But someone has to shell them for him. 

Eggshells. Is that so! How nice! 
Shelling peanuts for Peanuts. 



THE 1.ITTL.E CHRISTIAN. 11 

[Laughs, and rises tp feet. 

Teesie. {Sharply.) Why didn't you 
ring the door-bell, find come in the door 
like other people? 

^^ggshells. The dog wouldn'd stand 
for it, and I couldn't stand the dog, so 1 
jumped into the window. 

TeBsie. What do you want? 

EggehellB. Something to eat. 

Teesie.^ Are you very hungry? 

Eggshells. The last I had to eat was 
a crust of mouldy bread. A nice woman 
gave me thai. She said. Her heart 
ached for poor wandering tramps, and 
then sicked the dog on me. 

lessie. Was it a bulldog? 

Eggshells. No, it was a flop-ear. 

llmitates flop-earts with hands. 

Tessie. Did he bite you? 

Eggshells. No, I stepped on his face, 
and he hiked back to the chicken coop. 

T^seie. What's your name? 

Eggshells. My name? 

Tessie. Yes, your name. 

Eggshell. They call me Eggshells. 

Tessie. Eggshells! Pooh! that's not 
your name. {Goes to door, L.R,) Tell me 
your name, or I'll open the door, and let 
in Peanuts. 

Eggshells. {Alarmed.) No— no— don't I 



12 THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 



My name used to bf», James. 

Tessie. {Advuncing artd pointing to 
chair at table, R.) Very well, Mr. James, 
you 8it down in that chair, and I'll get 
you something to ©at. 

[Eggshells advances to chair at 
table, R. 

Eggshells. Don't let that dog in, and 
I'll do anything. 

Tessie. I am all alone in the house. 

Eggshells. I know it. 

Tessie. Do you like cookies? 

Eggshells. No. I want some meat. 

Tessie. I know where the cookies are. 

Eggshells. If you can't find the meat, 
I'll take a look for myself. 

Tessie. You better stay where you 
are. If aunty should come and find 
you rummaging around in the safe and 
cupboard, she'd sick Peanuts on you and 
telephone for thoj marshal. 

Eggshells. But aunty isn't here. 

Tessie. Well, I am. 

Eggshells. {Moving towards door, R. 
R.) I'm going to have some meat. 

Tessie. [Pointing to chair at table, R. 
and backing towards, L.R.) Sit down in 
that chair, or I'll open the door and let 
in .Peanuts. 

Eggshells. {Alarmed.) Yes— yes~-I'l] 



. THE LITTLE CtlRlSTIAN. 13 

be good. {Sits down in chair at table, 
R. Gives a yell; jumps up and grabs 
himself.) Oh, what's that? 

[Takes Topsy's dress with needle 
from behind him. 
Tessie. It is Topsy's dress. There is 
a Deedle in it. 
Eggshells. I thought so. 
Tessie. Give it to me. 

[Eggshells gives Tessie Topsy's 
dress. She throws it in little 
racking -chair. Trump feels chair 
for more needles, then sits down in 
chair cautiously. 
Eggshells. I am waitiDg for those 
nookies. 
Tessie. {Going ) Very well. 
Eggshells. If you can flad a little 
piece of meat, or a chicken, bring it 
along. 

Tessie. If you open that door, 
{Points to door, L.R.) while I am 
gone, Peanuts will come in. 

Eggshells. I'll not open that door. 
[Tessie gazes at tramp, and then 
bursts out laughing 
Tessie. You look like a scare-crow. 
Eggshells. I wish, I could scare a 
bulldog 
Tessie. {Going.) Now, behave until I 



14 THE L.ITTI.E CHRISTIAN. 

come back. 

Eggshells. I will. If you fiod any 
meat, a boiled ham, or seven or eight 
feet of wiener wurst, bring it along with 
the cookies. 

Tessie. I know where there's a pie. 

Eggshells. Do you! 

Tessie. Yes. Do you like pie? 

Eggshells. Well,--ye8. 

Tessie. I'll bring you a piece. 

Eggshells. Bring me the whole pie. 

Tessie. What a pig! 

[Exit at door, R.R. 

Eggshells. This is a risky rush. But 
I've got to eat to live, if I am caught 
here, I am good for five years. The 
bulldog drove me in. The window was 
my only escape. I waited until the lady 
was clean out of sight. That little girl 
seems like a good kid. I'll ma^ friends 
with her, and maybe I can induce her to 
call off the dog, and let me out. 

Enter Tesfiie at door, R.H. 
luggirig a large meat pie. 

Tessie. Here's the pie. 
Eggshells. What kind of pie is it? 
Tessie. It is a meat pie.- 
Eggshells. Give it to me. {Grabs 
pie.) Thank heaven, I am saved! 



THE L.ITTLE CHRIST! AX. 15 

[Sits down in chair at table, R. andi 
until pie in lap, eats greedily, 
scouping out pie witlt fingers. 

Teesie. Don't you ever say anything, 
when someone gives you something 
good ? 

Eggshells. I am so hungry, I forgot 
my manners. Thaiik you, little lady. 

lessie. You are awful hungry, ain't 
you? 

Eggshells. Yes. I wish, I had a 
mouth like Peanuts. 

Tessie. Why? 

Eggshells. 1 could eat this pie faster. 

Tessie. Were you ever in jail? 

Eggshells. No, but I may get there 
this time, if you don't help me. 

Tessie, Do you think, 1 will help you? 

Eggshells. I am sure of it. 

Tessie.- Why are you so sure? 

Eggshe Is. Because you are a little 
angel. 

Tessie. My mama's an angel. 

Eggshells. Where is your mother? 

Tessie. She is in heayen. 

Eggshells. In heaven! 

Tessie. Yes, sho' died. 

Eggshells. {Wiping eyes on sleeve.) 
You poor little orphan! 

[Eats pie ravenously with fingers. 



16 THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 

Tessie. Do you believe in God? 

Eggshells. {Startled.) Yes! 

Tessie. Do you love Jesus? 

Eggshells. [Staring at her for a 
moment.) Yes, little one, but I fear 
Jesus has forgotten me. 

Tessie. My Sunday school teacher 
told me last Sunday, that Jesus said, 
be would never leave, nor forsake those 
who loved him. 

Eggshells. {With a kindhj smile.) 
That's so, be did say that. 

Tessie. If you love Jesus, I love you, 
and I will help you. 

Eggshells. You are a little Christian. 

Tessie. Are you a Christian? 

Eggshells. J am a sinner. 

Tessie. But you are going to be a 
good man. God sent you here to me, 
and a little child shall lead you. 
[Eggshelh gazes at Tessie, then drops 
head on arm down on table, and bawls. 
Then raises up. and eats pie with 
fingers, ravenously.) Poor man! 

[Eggshells drops head on arm down, 
on table, and cries and moans. 

Eggshells. {Raising head.) Here, take 
this pie. 

lessie. Don't you want it? 

Eggehejls. No, give it to Peanuts 



THE L.ITTL.E CHRISTIAN. 17 

Tessie. All right. 

Takes pie. Goes to ivindow. Pea- 
nuts barks outside. She empties pie 
out of ivindow. Sets pan in window, 
and returns to Eggshelln. 

Eggshells, ( Wiping eyes, and rising 
from chair.) I must be going. 

Tessie. Where are you going? 

Eggshells. Out— out, in the street. 

Tessie. Peanuts will get you. 

Eggshells. You call him, and keep 
him at this window, while I steal out 
the other way. 

Tessie. Very well! But 1 am sorry 
to have you go so soon. Have you any 
money? 

Eggshells. {Startled.) No. 

Tessie. Aunty has a whole lot of 
silver money in the second drawer. 
{Points to chiffonier.) Take some of 
that. 

Eggshells. {Aside, with a gasp.) The 
devil and temptation again! I need the 
money. I -I — 1 must have it! 

( Tukes out red bundanna, 

Tessie. Aunty's wat.ch, and chain and 
locket, are in there, too, I saw her put 
them in there, this morning. But you 
mustn't take them. 

Eggshells. {Eager, but agitated.) 



18 THE LITTr.E CHRISTIAN. 

No— I mustn't— but I — Turn your face 
away, little one. {Tessie turns her hack 
to him.) Tho curse of sin is upon me. 
I am going: to lake that money I need 
it. I need it. God knows, I need it. 
(Spreads red bandanna out on table, h. 
Rushes to chiffonier and, pulls out 
drawer. Takes out money and puts it 
on bandanna on table. Takes gold 
watch, chain and locket out of drawer. 
Struggles with feelings for a moment. 
Puts watch, chain and locket, back in 
drawer. Changes mind, and takes them 
out again. Places them with money on 
bandanna on table. After a fearful 
mental struggle, he says:) Please, little 
girl, call off the dog. I am going 

Tessie. {Turning and facing him.) 
Have you got the money? 

Eggshells. (Tying up bandanna.) Yes. 

Tessie. You didn't take aunty's 
watch and locketj' 

Eggshells. I've got it all. 
[Tessie hurries to table and opens 
bandanna. 

Tessie. You mustn't^ take aunty's 
watch, chain and locket. 

Eggshells. (Fiimbling at bandanna.) 
I might as well lake all as part of it. 

Tessie. No; aunty always worried 



THE LITTJLE CHR ISTIAN. 19 

about her locket. Was always afraid 
she might lose it. I don't know why. 
She has pleuty of money, and could buy 
another. Maybe there is something in 
it. A picture of some one, she dearly 
loves, or-or a lock of hair. Let me 
look. [Tessie opens locket and looks 
into it.) Why! it's the picture ol a 
young man. Look! 

^Eggshells looks down at picture in 

locket. Snatches locket from Tessie, 

and looks at picture more closely. 

Eggshells. My God! (Aside.) It is 

my own picture. She is here. Perhaps, 

married. I — 1- 

[Picks up bandanna with con- 
tents and empties it into chiffo- 
nier drawer. Throws bandanna 
on table. 
Tessie. What's the matter? 
Eggshells. {With excitement.) Call 
otf the dog. I'm going.— Call off the 
dog. I'm going— going right now. 

[Rushes off at door, R.R. Tessie 

goes to laindoin. 

Tessio. {Calling off the dog.) Here, 

Peanuts, here! Now, sir, you etny right 

here under the window. Peanuts! 

Come back, sir! 



20 THE LITTfiE CHRISTIAN. 

Enter Eggshells at door, R.R. 

Egffshelis. The marshal is walkiDg 
up and down on that side of the house. 
{Points to R.) I guess he is waiting for 
me, 

Tessie. With Peanuts at this d©or» 
{Points to door, L.R.) and the marshal 
at that door, {Points to R.) I don't see 
how, you will get out. And, if aunty 
comes, and finds you here — 

Eggshells. God help me! 

Tessie. God will help you, and I will 
help you, because you are a Christain. 

Eggshells. How do you know, I am a 
Christian? 

Tessie. Because you wouldn't take 
the money, nor the watch, nor the chain, 
nor aunty's locket. Satan tempted you 
as he did our dear Saviour up on the 
mountain, and like him, you resisted 
the temptation 

Eggshells. Well — what next, little 
one? 

Tessie. Listen. There is a bath-room 
up-stairs. Papa's razor and shaving-cup 
are in the bath-room. In the room off 
the bath-room is a bureau. In this 
bureau are papa's clean underclothes, 
shirts and collars. Aunty laid papa's 
new suit out on the bed this morning 



THK L.ITTLE CHRISTIAN. 21 

She was going to brush It, and bang it 
away. The closet is full of papa's shoes. 
You go up stairs, take a bath, shave, and 
put on papa's clean clothes. Then come 
down, and you can walk out of the 
house, and the marshal won't know you 
are a tramp, nor Peanuts neither. 

Eggshells. {Holding up edge of 
ragged coat.) What shall I do with iheEe 
clothes. 

Tessie. Throw them out the window 
to Peanuts. He'll think he has a real 
tramp, and be awfully tickled. 

Eggshells. The marshal might see me 
throw them out. 

Tessie. Perhaps, he'll be gone by that 
time 

Eggshells. (Going.) Very well! (2\rn- 
ing.) But I hate to take your father's 
clothes. 

Tessie. My father is a Christian. 

Eggshells. {Suddenly.) God bless your 
father! Yon said up-stairs? {Goes 
towards door, R.R. Returns to Tessie.) 
Throw these clothes out the window^ 
hey? 

Tessie. Yes, out the window. 

Eggshells. That's the proper thing. 
They are a perfect menagerie of microbes. 

Tessie. They must be awful. 



22 THE L.1TT1.E CHRISTIAN. 

Eggshells. It'll be quit,e a joke on 
Peanuts. 

Tessie. Well, I should say! 

[Laughfi and slaps her knees. Egg- 
shells cheers up. Laughs and slaps 
his knees . 

Eggshells. (Going.) I don't like to 
take your father's clothes. 

Tessie. Then the marshal will take 
you. 

Eggshells. There is no other way. 
I must accept the inevitable. 

[Exit at door, R.R. 

Tessie. Oh, dear! what if aunty 
should come before the poor tramp g«ts 
papa's clothes on. I'd have to tell her, 
he was up-stairs, for it would scare her 
to death, to go up there and find him. 
And to think, he is a real Christian, So 
hungry, all rags, and yet wouldn't take 
the money, nor the watch, nor the chain, 
nor the locket. And, besides, to return 
good for evil, he gave Peanuts most of 
the pie. I nm going to get Peanuts, take 
him down stRirs, and lock him up in the 
kitchen. (Goes out door, L.li. Calls 
Peanuti', outside. Enter at door, L.Ji'. 
leading Peanuts by collar. Leads him 
across to II) Now, come, Peanuts, I've' 
Bom© nice cookies for you down in the 



THE i^ITTLE CHRISTIAN. 23 

kitchen. 

{Exit, R, ivith dog. 
Enter Eggshells, R.R. heard off, 
razor in hand. 

Eggshells. I don't like to take those 
clothes. Amelia is here. Maybe thie is 
her house—her husband's house. I 
better cut my throat! {Raises razor.) 
Amelia will find my body here, {Notices 
door open, L.R.) What, the door open! 
{Rushes to window.) No dog! The way 
out may be clear. If th^ dog attacks 
me, I can cut his throat with the razor. 
[Goes towards door, L. R. 
Enter Tessie, R. 

Tessie. I've shut him up. {Sees 
Eggshells.) Stop! Where are you going? 

Eggshells. Where's the dog? 

Tessie. If you go out there, {Points 
to door, L.R.) you'll find out. 

Eggshells. Is he out there? 

[Slams L.R. door to^ 

Tessie. You better hurry up, and 
change your clothes. If aunty comes 
and finds you here, I'm afraid, I can't 
help you. She is just terrible on tramps. 

Eggshells. Who is your aunty? 

Tessie. Why papa's sister, of course. 

Eggshells. Is she married? 

Tessie. No. She loved a nice young 



24 THE L.ITTI.E CHRISTIAN. 

minister, but he went away, she doesn^t 
know where. She loved him so, she'll 
never marry anyone. 

Eggshells. What is your father's 
name? 

Tessie. David Jordan. 

Eggshells. (Aside.) I must see her— 
but DO — the wreck I am — the degraded — 

Tessie. You better hurry up, and 
change your clothes. 

Eggshells. {Bewildered.) Yes— yeB— 
I — yes — Well, I've shaved. 

Tessie. {Noticing his face.) Why, your 
face looks just like the young man's face 
in the locket. 

Eggshells. Does it! 

[Dashes off at door^ B.R, 

Tessie. How queer he acts. He 
doesn't like to take papa's clothes. 
Maybe aunty will be good to him, 
because be looks like the young man in 
her locket. {Listens,) I think, I hear her 
now. 

Enter Amelia at door, L.R. 

Amelia. Are you all right, Tessie? 

Tessie. Yes, aunty. 

Amelia. Did you get lonesome for 
aunty, dear? 

Tessie. No, I bav«n't been lonesome^ 
at all, 



THE LITTJL.E UttRISTIAN. 25 

Amelia. Where is Peanuts? 

Teesie. I put him down in the 
kitchen. He barked so. 

[Amelia notices pie pan in window. 

Amelia. How did this pie pan come 
up here in the window? 

Teesie. I put it there. 

Amelia. That is the large pan, the 
cook baked the meat pie in. Surely, 
dear, you didn't eat that whole meat pie? 

Tessie. I didn't eat any of it. 

Amelia. What did you do with it? 

Tessie. I gave it to a tramp. 

Amelia. To a tramp! 

Tessie. Yes, aunty. He was very 
hungry. He said he loved Jesus. He 
was a real good tramp. 

Amelia. How did he escape, Peanuts? 

Tessie. He gave Peanuts some of the 
pie. 

Amelia. Weren't you afraid of him? 

Tessie. No, aunty. He called me a 

little angel. I am glad when anyone 

calls me an angel, because mama's one. 

[Amelia notices bandanna on table ^ 

Amelia. What is this! A filthy red 
handkerchief! Where did this come 
from? 

Tessie. It is the tramp's handkerchief. 

Anieliy. And what are you doing 



li'J THE L,1TTI.E CHRISTIAN. 

with it? 

Tessie. I am going to wash it, and 
give it to him, nice and clean. 

Amelia, Why is it on the table? It 
is too filthy to touch, 

Tessie. He put it on the table. 

Amelia. Was the tramp in the house? 

Tessie. Yes. He laid the handker- 
chief on the table to put the money in. 

Amelia. The money! What money? 

Tessie. Your money in the chiffonier. 

Amelia. Did he take it? 

[Rushes to chiffonier 

Tessie. No, he put it back, with your 
watch, aud chain, and locket. Look, if 
you want to, aunty. Everything is in 
the drawer, just as you left it. 

Amelia. I am astonished! 

■^ressie. Don't scold, aunty. Lazarus 
was a poor tramp, but Jesus loved him. 

Amelia. Child, you are a wonder. 

Tessie. Mama is m heaven with 
Jesus, aunty, and I know she has told 
dear Jesus all about her litllo girl down 
here, and I'd be ashamed not to be good 
and kind to anyone, who loved thn* 
good Siviour, even if it was a 
poor — {Sobs) poor tramp-with— with — 
a dirty red handkerchief. 

{Amelia takes Tessie in her armsy 



THK JL.ITTL.E CHRISTIAN. 27 

and sits in chair at table, R. 
Amelia. Why, my dear, dear, darling, 
baby girl, you shall feed all the tramps, 
and do just whatever your bleeeed 
little soul wants to do. 

Teesie. {Still sobbing and -crying.) 
I — 1 — don't want mama to think she has 
a bad, seltish, baby down here on earth, 
I— I — want to do everything kind and 
good, and right, so some day I can be 
wiLh mama in heaven. 

[Amelia bursts into tears, and 
weeps with Tessie. 

Enter Eggshells, the Rev. James 
Wardwell at door, R.R. Hair 
combed, and in new and clean 
clothes. Shoes blacked. 

Amelia. You are an angel, indeed. 

Tessie. I asked the tramp his name, 
aunty. 

Amelia, Did you, dear? 

Tessie. Yes, and he said it was James 

Amelia. James! James what? 

Tessie. He didn't tell mo his other 
name. When I showed him the picture 
in your locket, he put the money, and 
the watch, and the chain an(^ locket, all 
back in the chiffonier drawer. 

Amelia. Was he going to take them? 



28 THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN. 

Tossie. Yes, he was, but he didn't. 
Thai IS how, I knew he was a Christian. 

Amelia. You puzzle me, dear. 

Tessie. He went up stairs in the 
bath-room and shaved, and when he 
came down with his whiskers oflF, his 
face looked just like the young man's 
face in your locket. 

Amelia. (Excited.) It cannot be, 
this tramp, you have fed, is James 
Wardweli. 

[Rev. James Wardweli, Eggshells, 
advances. 

James. .Yes, Amelia, it is James 
Wardweli 

[Amelia drops Tessie, springs to her 
feet, turns, sees James, and 
screams 

Amelia. {Rushing into his arms.) 
James! 

James. Ah, Amelia, can you thus 
welcome a poor, unworthy, tramp? 

Amelia. Why did you forsake me, 
James? 

James. That blow on my head 
I changed after that somehow mentally. 
I wanted to drink liquor, to gamble, to 
wander, to— Well, I sank lower and 
lower after I left. At last, I became a 
tramp. 



THE i^ITTLE CHRISTIAN. 29 

Amelia. {Stepping hack from him 
and looking at him.) You don't look 
like a tramp, James. 

James. No, Lot in your brother's 
clothes. 

Amelia. All that I have, all that my 
brother has, cannot compensate for the 
blow my father struck you. 

James. Is your father living? 

Amelia. No; he died seven years ago. 

James. Look at my face; my story is 
written there. But I always loved 
you -never married. I thought, at 
times, that somehow God would bring 
us together again. 

Amelia. You shall never leave me 
more. My father left me many 
thousands of dollars. And, if it takes 
every penny of it, it shall be used to 
recover you from the blow he struck 
you. 

James. That little angel yonder 
struck a tender chord in my soul, long 
dead, and woke it again to life. The 
mists and fogs are drifting away. 
A new life of love and sunshine is 
opening before me, I feel like a new 
man. I am a new man. 

Amelia. {Winding arms about hitt 
neck.) Ah, dear, you will soon be again 



30 THE L.ITTI.E CHRISTIAN. 

as you were. 

James. Can you look upon my 
furrowed and vice-etained face with 
affection? 

Amelia. I see you, James, not ae you 
are, but as I saw you in the past. 

[Tessie crosses to toy cradle, sits in 
little rocking-chair and rocks 
. cradle. 

James. Amelia, I love you as I ever 
loved you. May I hope, when I have 
recovered myself to decency and 
respectability to make you my wife? 

Amelia. Why should you ask? I 
have found you, and I will oaever 
willingly part with you again. 

James. It seHms like some strange 
providence led me here I must thank 
the little angel, that met me— at— at — 
at the window, 1 believe you call her, 
Teseie? 

Amelia. Yes, Tessie, is her name. 

James. Tessie, come here. {Tessie 
rises and crosses to him.) Give me 
your hand, little one. {Tessie gives 
hand. Amelia, R.C.) This is the little 
hand that led me~led me back to 
God and manhood. 

[Kneels and bows head on Tessie'' s 
hand. Tessie wipes her eyes with 



THE JL.ITTL.E CHRISTIAN. 31 

apron. Amelia wipes her eyes 
with handkerchief. 

[Tableau. 



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